Not all scientific breakthroughs make it to the front pages. Some of them never make it to the pages. However, if anything new is developed based on these findings that make our lives simpler, everyone wants to know what it is about. We’ve made a selection of a few scientific breakthroughs that are expected to make headlines in the next few years and will have a big impact on our future.

• Time crystal

A time crystal is a special phase of matter that continually changes yet never appears to require energy. Because the second rule of thermodynamics states that this cannot happen, Newton’s theory may be contradicted by this revelation. A time crystal is similar to a perpetual motion machine in that it cycles between states indefinitely without requiring any energy.

Google claims to have built this new phase of matter using the company’s Sycamore quantum computer. Because Google’s findings have not been peer-reviewed, we cannot be confident that what Google researchers have done will stand up to examination. Because of the experiment’s scope and control, it is possible to look at time crystals for extended periods of time, do comprehensive sets of measurements, change the size of the system, etc. In other words, it is a valuable demonstration that may truly progress research – and as such, it may be critical in demonstrating the key role that quantum simulators will play in allowing physics breakthroughs.

• Metallic water

Because regular water includes salts, it is conductive. Distilled water, on the other hand, is a near-perfect insulator. To generate a conduction band with freely flowing electrons, water would have to be subjected to pressures that are practically impossible to replicate on Earth. For the first time, the worldwide cooperation of 15 experts from eleven research institutes has utilized an entirely different technique to create an aqueous solution with metallic characteristics. It ultimately led to the discovery of a new element, and it’s as thrilling as it gets.

• Piezoelectric molecular crystals

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur conducted a study. What the Indian scientists have done is build more durable crystals with self-healing capabilities. We can confidently state that they created the world’s strongest self-healing material. They claim to have solved the problem by developing piezoelectric molecular crystals that can heal mechanical damage without the need for external assistance. The substance developed by Indian scientists may soon enable broken electronic components, such as those found in spacecraft, to repair themselves.

• Plastic-eating bacteria

PET may be broken down by the bacteria which uses the enzymes PET hydrolase and MHETase. This bacterium was discovered in a study conducted by the Kyoto Institute of Technology in 2016. The finding of Ideonella sakaiensis might have ramifications for the breakdown of PET polymers. What this means for our planet’s future is that it may be possible to build specific facilities where this sort of bacteria feeds on mounds of plastic, or even to utilize it in the polluted areas directly.

The latest scientific breakthrough discoveries in 2021 are offering a glimpse of the future we are heading to. Although it is currently impossible to predict where these findings may lead us, we will rely on creative minds to make the most of them. Do you see how some of these discoveries may be applied in everyday life? If yes, please leave us a remark.